MILWAUKEE — April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, a time to show solidarity with survivors and raise awareness of this critical issue.
TeamTeal 365, an organization working to aid survivors of sexual assault, will host the 12th annual Paint the City Teal Day on April 2.
Samantha Collier, executive director and founder of TeamTeal365, said these Milwaukee buildings and landmarks will light up in teal:
- Hoan Bridge – Light the Hoan
- Milwaukee Domes
- City Hall
- The Pfister Hotel
- Schlitz Park
- 600 EAST Wisconsin Café
- I-794 underpass (Broadway and Water Street) – Brighten the Passage
- Hyatt Regency Milwaukee
- U.S. Bank Center
- Milwaukee Downtown, BID #21 office – 301 W. Wisconsin Ave.
Collier said helping people overcome sexual assault is part of her purpose.
“Some people don’t even know or have the words to put around consent or being molested at a young age, and now you’re an adult,” said Samantha Collier, executive director and founder of TeamTeal365. “Just being in the comfort of safety, right? Teal Team, we embrace and have this thriving light that we want every survivor to get to the other side.”
She said she has dedicated her life to planting seeds of awareness in others, and nothing brings her more joy than when those seeds begin to grow.
Growth, for Collier, is when healing happens. She shared that her goal is to help victims thrive by offering a safe space to meet others, share their stories, and gain access to resources.
“It makes me feel really good that my daughter has the opportunity to talk to somebody if she’s not able to talk to me about her relationships and things that are going on,” said mother Tycie Godsey.
“It makes me feel proud,” said Godsey’s daughter, Taylor Godsey. “It makes me feel like I’m a part of something greater than myself.”
On Tuesday, in addition to buildings and landmarks being lit up in teal, Collier said you may also see people “tealing.”
“Tealing” is the act of decorating something in teal and visually spreading the message of TeamTeal365. This act is the hallmark of Paint the City Teal Day. From wrapping trees and light poles in teal cloth to creating teal smoothies and teal earrings, our community truly paints the city teal, according to their website.
While Sexual Assault Awareness Month comes once a year, Collier’s mission is in the name—TeamTeal365. Always here, always working and hoping to provide safety and a future for those in need.
Watch: Milwaukee group hosts 'Paint the City Teal Day' for sexual assault survivors
“I have a purpose to make sure that awareness is being raised around the one in four women and the one in five men who have been sexually assaulted,” said Collier. “We’re here for you because we believe you, and those are three words that some survivors never really hear.”
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